The present invention relates to a colored golf ball having a fluorescent color. More specifically, the invention relates to a fluorescent colored golf ball which is endowed with a coloring that conveys a sense of quality, performance attributes, and an excellent color change resistance.
Recently, color golf balls such as yellow, pink and orange have begun to be used, alternative to a white golf ball used in the conventional art. The reason why such color balls are used is that they are endowed with the psychological impression from the visibility and the color tone of the ball.
In addition, while golf balls having high performances exist, it is fact that many golfers still seek a two-piece golf ball because the two-piece golf ball is comparatively inexpensive owing to use rubbers in a major part of the material. Furthermore, in order to obtain an inexpensive two-piece golf ball, the cover is made thinner as one of the way for the inexpensive two-piece golf ball to be manufactured.
However, such two-piece golf ball satisfying “inexpensiveness” and “a color ball” lacks a high-quality feel and a resistance to color change. Also, the technique of the two-piece color ball of thinner cover was still insufficient.
Golf balls which have hitherto been disclosed include the following prior art.
JP-A 2007-21204, which describes a golf ball having a clear cover over a core that is coated with a bright pigment-containing coating, strives to achieve a metallic texture and markings that appear three-dimensional. The intention is not to provide a fluorescent colored ball.
JP-A 2007-21205 describes a golf ball in which the color difference ΔE between an inside layer and the ball is set to a small value of 30 or less. However, this ball has a subdued appearance that lacks visual impact. Moreover, the object here is to include a pearlescent pigment in the cover so as to give the cover a pastel tone; it is not the object of this prior-art disclosure to use a fluorescent pigment or dye so as to achieve bright coloring having a high-quality feel.
In the golf ball disclosed in U.S. Published patent application Ser. No. 11/882,216, a large amount of fluorescent pigment is added to the cover, resulting in a less than adequate transparency and an excessively strong color tone which deprives the ball of a high-quality feel. Also, the addition of a large amount of fluorescent pigment gives the ball a poor resistance to color change.
The golf balls described in JP-A 2007-144097 and U.S. Published patent application Ser. No. 11/299,947 lack specificity concerning the cover transparency, in addition to which no mention whatsoever is made of a high-quality feel.
JP-A 10-155937, and JP-A 2000-254250 mention balls which exhibit pastel tones. However, these golf balls are very deeply colored and visually disconcerting. Moreover, they lack a high-quality feel and have a poor resistance to color change.
JP-A 2000-24139 discloses a colored ball of excellent visibility which has a bright, highly intense color tone. However, because the cover contains a large amount of fluorescent pigment, it is not sufficiently transparent and has an excessively strong color, resulting in a ball that lacks a high-quality feel.
JP-A 2004-33594 describes a golf ball of blue, pink or yellow color which is specified in terms of the L*a*b* color system so as to enhance visibility. However, such golf balls do not excel in terms of a high-quality feel, performance and resistance to color change.
JP-A 2009-45347 describes a golf ball having a high chroma and a high-quality feel by painting a color-shifting material. However, there is no existence about the concrete structure for the cover transparency and the color tone of the underlying portion, resulting in the lack of a sufficient high-quality feel.